Bhubaneswar, May 6: A devastating fire broke out at Basanta Villa Apartment in the Laxmisagar area of the city in the early hours of Wednesday, claiming the lives of two persons and leaving a minor girl critically injured.

According to preliminary reports, the fire is suspected to have originated from a short circuit in the electrical panel board, which triggered flames in the guard room. The victims, identified as Biswajit Behera and Sulabh Behera, reportedly died due to suffocation.

Their minor granddaughter sustained serious injuries and is currently undergoing treatment.

Fire services personnel rushed to the spot immediately after being alerted and launched an extensive firefighting and rescue operation. The blaze, which erupted around 4 AM, was later brought under control.

Police have recovered the bodies and initiated a probe into the incident. Meanwhile, several residents trapped inside the building were rescued by the fire brigade.

The incident also resulted in significant property damage, officials said.